Surnames and Family Research Forum

Hello,
My giving name is Elliott after my father's brother. And proud to carry it.
Now in the 60's and 70's here in New York my friends were changing their names to African Pride, Given and Surnames. Not knowing where the names originated in what part of African.
Older now, they named their children with
names with. females -"K"d in , "T" etc., males "D", "T',etc.
I'am employed in a School district and find at least 5 to 10 students have the same name. Also the common given Hispanic is Juan,Maria etc.
Here in New York the employer's seem to past over application's of people with African Pride names". Yes this is racist practice.
I gave my two daughter's given names that you know on application's here in the north.
Surprise; they both moved south.
Elliott